Positions Thought I’d Never Do Proper: Linebacker

Derrick Brooks: I'm not sure what changed for Brooks between 2006 and 2007, but there was a huge improvement in his play. I'm pretty sure a lot of it had to do with my criticisms of him a couple years ago. Anyway, if he can keep up that level of production, he's going to make it hard to force him into retirement at the end of the season.

Barrett Ruud: There are still some fans who don't know if Ruud is for real, and I just can't understand it. Ruud was leading the league in tackles for the first few weeks of the season last year and ended the season with 114 despite missing a game. He's got a great nose for the football and is turning into a leader. He's here for quite a while.

Cato June: June wasn't as active as I thought he could have been last year, but I don't know if that's a function of his performance or because he's playing on the strongside. June is signed through 2009, so he still has some time to get it worked out, but he may see some competition during this camp. His foot surgery is said to be fine and he'll be ready for all the OTAs.

Quincy Black: Black had a decent first season, but played mostly on special teams. Black has the physical ability to really play any linebacker position and the coaches are high on him, but the logjam at linebacker may hold back his development for another year or so.

Ryan Nece: There's a chance Nece doesn't even make the team this year. He has been consistent, but never a big play guy. I think the fact that team signed a boatload of linebackers this offseason so far is a strong indication that they're not completely happy with Nece.

Adam Hayward: A lot of people are talking up Hayward, and he looked pretty good during the last game of the season. When the Bucs drafted him in the sixth round in 2007, they thought maybe he could be a successor to Brooks on the weakside. But as it stands today, he's just one of the guys in the mix to try and compete for a backup job.

Antoine Cash: The team re-signed Cash instead of letting him go off to free agency, so they want him to be part of the competition. Cash was on IR the whole 2007 season because of his knee, so if he doesn't show something pretty special in camp, he's most likely gone.

Sam Olajubutu: He's still on the team? I liked this guy and thought he could be a scrappy Sam Mills type of player. Then he had a season-ending Achille's injury and now he's pretty much in the same boat as Cash, only the Bucs have less invested in him.

Leon Joe: One of the first players the Bucs signed in free agency this year. Joe was actually on the opening day roster, but was quickly released when they needed the space to sign Taye Biddle. Exactly. Joe was with Buffalo last year and made four tackles. There's got to be something about him I'm missing because they just keep bringing him back. I'm pretty sure his sole purpose on this team is to scare Cash, Hayward and Nece into performing better.

Matt McCoy: McCoy is fast and strong and is an excellent special teams player. The Bucs actually wanted to sign him last year but he went to New Orleans instead, which makes signing him this year that much sweeter. He was a second round pick in 2005, not all that long ago. I say McCoy makes the team.

Teddy Lehman: Lehman has huge upside because of his versatility and speed, but just can't stay healthy. I know some Lions fans were sorry to see him go because they thought he could be something really special when he started all 16 games in 2004. He was brought into Tampa mostly for depth purposes and because he didn't cost much, but if he can get his ankle and shoulder right, he could make a serious push at the backup middle spot.

Last year I kept pushing for the team to keep Jamie Winborn on the team and thought Shelton Quarles would play one more year. Everything else I pretty much got right.

So, if you're keeping count, the Bucs have 11 linebackers on the roster now. Last season they opened up with seven, but Joe was quickly replaced by a non-linebacker. They have too many good ones to only go with six, so I say they open it up again with seven: Brooks, Ruud, June, Black, McCoy, Hayward and... ugh. I just can't pick who the seventh will be. I'll say Lehman because of his upside and starting experience.

I really don't see the Bucs picking a linebacker at all this year in the draft. After signing three in free agency and most of them are pretty young already, there's no need. They only have five picks and several other positions to worry about. If they absolutely had to, though, they could pick up Marcus Howard (LB, Georgia) in the fourth round, probably. But seriously, no linebackers this year.